On the day prior to the eagerly-awaited DFB Cup quarter-final between Bayern and Borussia Dortmund, winter returned to the Bavarian capital with a vengeance. The normally pristine green turf at the Allianz Arena disappeared under a blanket of snow, but the groundstaff will as usual ensure a perfect playing surface for the latest edition of the biggest domestic fixture in German football, when the runaway Bundesliga leaders meet the reigning champions and cup holders.

It is unquestionably a meeting between the two best teams in Germany - and it is also a rerun of the 2012 cup final, although the match takes place at the quarter-final stage this time round. "The winners will definitely be favourites to take the cup," commented Germany international Thomas Müller, "it's a match with a real edge."

With the exception of the Supercup prior to the current season, FCB have not beaten Dortmund in a competitive fixture since a 3-1 Bundesliga victory on 13 February 2010, so the stars are more fired up than ever. "It's a great opportunity to put a few things right. The focus is absolutely on making the next round," commented Müller. As coach Jupp Heynckes noted on Tuesday: "We're well prepared, we're in good shape, and we're totally motivated."

"We believe in our own strengths," continued the head coach, hoping his team would "give a nice present" to the club on Bayern's 113th birthday. "We're capable of winning," said Heynckes, although he was prepared to go no further than that, "because as the past has shown, Dortmund have managed to win many a tight game. It's a showdown between equals."

Three men missing for FCB

The champions will field a full strength side in Munich. Striker Robert Lewandowski is currently suspended in the league but remains eligible for the cup, while Mats Hummels (hamstring), Jakub Blaszczykowski and Lukasz Piszczek (both hip problems) have shaken off injuries. Boss Jürgen Klopp voiced hopes of "an outstanding day" for his men: "You can't beat Bayern if you're at 98 percent. But at 100 percent, anything is possible."

"We're one of a handful of teams on this planet capable of beating Bayern," the BVB coach continued. However, Munich have yet to concede a goal in the cup this term and are utterly determined to withstand the challenge posed by Borussia. FCB are without Holger Badstuber (sports rehab after cruciate surgery), Rafinha (flu) and in-form Franck Ribéry (suspension). "Losing Franck is a setback," noted Heynckes, "but we've always been able to replace players adequately this season."

High hopes for Arjen

Arjen Robben has been asked to take over from the Frenchman on Wednesday night. The Dutch ace turned in a scintillating display against Bremen last weekend, "and I'm hoping Arjen can shift up yet another gear," said Heynckes. With the exception of the sidelined trio, the 67-year-old head coach has all the rest of his players available for selection, including Daniel Van Buyten, who has recovered from a cold.

The German footballing family is abuzz with excited anticipation prior to the clash of the domestic titans: Bayern could have sold 250,000 tickets for the showdown at the Allianz Arena. And the home side are raring to go: "We'll have to be wide awake, watchful and tactically disciplined," said Heynckes. "We need to put in just as much work as we have done in every other match, maybe even a bit more," remarked Müller. The groundstaff will have shown the way.

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